1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bread maker, and more particularly, to a bread maker with a steam generating structure to provide a moisture environment inside the bread maker.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view partially illustrating a conventional bread maker. As shown therein, a bread maker generally comprises a casing 11 forming an outer enclosure, a door 13 rotatably connected to the casing 11 to open and close an entrance in the casing 11, and a baking tray 15 inside the casing 11 in which dough 14 for bread is contained.
On the lower inside walls of the casing 11 facing opposite walls of the baking tray 15 are lower brackets 17a. Lower heaters 17 are connected to the lower brackets 17a to bake a lateral part of the dough 14 contained in the baking tray 15. On the upper inside walls of the casing 11 facing an opening 15a of the baking tray 15 are upper brackets 16a. Upper heaters 16 are connected to the upper brackets 16a to bake an upper part of the dough 14 contained in the baking tray 15.
However, in the conventional bread maker, a problem occurs in that moisture inside the dough 14 is excessively vaporized through the surface thereof while the dough 14 is baking, so that the bread is likely to have a hard or cracked crust. Hence, the crust of the bread is not satisfactorily baked because the surface of the dough 14 has low moisture while being baked, and it is difficult to keep the moisture in the bread.
To solve the above problem, there has been proposed a bread maker with a steam generator in a casing in U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,086. However, in this bread maker, there are additionally needed a heater for generating steam, a pipe, a valve, and a water reservoir for dispensing water to the steam generator, resulting in the structure of the bread maker being complicated.